Dark Hearts
by Mugzy78
Summary: The NCIS team investigates vampire activity & Gibbs finds himself reunited with the love of his life, armed with the news that his daughter is still alive he sets off with his team to save her reviews more than welcomed they are loved cherished and value!
1. Chapter 1

Gibbs, Dinozzo, McGee and Ziva stood in the middle of a large room, candles were scattered about, the room's only source of light. Towards the back of the room stood a coffin, on a platform with steps leading up to it. "Abby is so going to love this!" Tony said as they walked over to the bodies that lay on the floor near a small table. A young woman lay face up, next to the body of what appeared to be a petty officer in the navy.

"This um, may not appear to be what it appears to be." McGee said as he looked over the items on the table. A bottle of red wine, open with some of its contents poured into two wine glasses.

"Oh come on McGee this is totally Goth." Tony said kneeling down to one of the victims. "McGee is this the way Abby's place…" Tony jumped back. "Holy shit." He said backing away from the bodies, shaking his head.

"What is it?" Ziva asked.

"Vampires." Tony whispered. Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"McGee."

"Yes boss." McGee jumped up.

"Go help Ducky with his equipment."

"On it boss." McGee started to walk away.

"I could um help Ducky, boss." Tony mumbled as he stood next to Gibbs, McGee turned around, a look of confusion waved across his face.

"No Dinozzo you start taking measurements for sketches."

"But uh boss…"

"Now Dinozzo." Gibbs stated, he turned to look at McGee. "Waiting for something?"

"Uh, well…" McGee shook his head. "No boss." McGee turned back around and headed for the stairs.

"Ziva, photos." Gibbs knelt down beside the bodies, careful not to touch anything, while his team went to work. He could see why Tony had jumped back; on the neck of the woman were two puncture holes.

"They can't be vampires, right boss?" Tony asked as he tried to keep a safe distance from the bodies. Gibbs didn't reply he couldn't take his eyes off the woman's face. She was grinning, like she was having the time of her life and her eyes, they were wide open and they were very odd looking. It was hard to see in the dimness of the candle light.

"Dinozzo get me a flashlight." Tony grabbed a flashlight from one of the field kits and handed it to Gibbs, trying not to get too close to the bodies. Gibbs shined the light in her eyes. Her eyes were entirely black, there was no white or iris colors in her eyes.

"That is freaking weird." Tony said backing up even further. Ziva came over and started snapping pictures of the bodies.

"What's his problem?" Ziva asked nodding to Tony as he backed slowly across the room.

"Afraid of vampires." Gibbs replied. Ziva began to laugh; she hadn't known Tony to be afraid of anything, other than commitment. Gibbs and Ziva looked at each other and shrugged. "You have to admit it that he's right." Gibbs nodded toward the woman's eyes. "That is just freaking weird."

"What's that Jethro?" Ducky asked as he walked up behind Gibbs.

"This whole scenario Duck, haven't touched anything." Gibbs watched as Ducky went to work examining the bodies. Ducky, with the help of Mcgee, turned the other body so that it was facing up.

"Ah yes, this reminds me of a case I read about in th…"

"Duck." Gibbs interrupted.

"Sorry Jethro, estimated time of death would be 1300."

"Ducky if time of death was only five and a half hours ago, why are the bodies's so ridged already?" Ziva asked.

"Very astute observation my dear." Ducky replied. "Ah yes, it would be my guess that from the ridged ness of the bodies and this peculiar smile on the faces of the victims that these pour souls have been poisoned with strychnine." He said shaking his head sadly.

"Why are they smiling?" McGee asked.

"The muscles in the face contract to make it look like the victim is grinning. Strychnine poisoning is an awful way to die." Ducky said as he swabbed the two puncture wounds on the woman's neck and put the swab in a vile. "The victim is conscious but in agony, not able to talk because the jaw locks, they suffer violent contractions and death usually happens during a convulsion due to paralysis of the respiratory system."

"They look frozen." Tony shouted from the other side of the room.

"Yes Anthony." Ducky said looking down at the way the young woman's arms were bent, fingers curled as if trying to clutch something. "At the point of death, the body _freezes_ immediately, even in the middle of a convulsion, resulting in instantaneous rigor mortis." Ducky looked over at Gibbs. "But we won't be absolutely sure until we run test."

"Alright, start bagging and tagging." Gibbs said to his team.


	2. Chapter 2

"This is so cool." Abby said looking at the crime scene photos. "I can't believe I'm working on a case that involves vampires." Tony shuddered and turned away from the photos.

"But Abs, we're not talking about real vampires are we?"

"Of course we are Tony." 

"We are?"

"Yes vampires do exist but they are not the immortal undead kind like you see in the movies."

"Oh." Tony said still looking confused.

"Vampires are everyday people just like you and me…"

"But they like to drink blood."

"Well some, there are also psychic vampires that absorb your energy rather than drink blood."

"But look at her eyes Abs, that's freak'n weird." Tony said pointing at the screen.

"I'd bet ya 10 bucks they are contacts."

"They make contacts like that?"

"Sure, I mean how do you think they make peoples eyes all funky in the movies?" Abby asked. Tony shrugged. "Exactly." Abby nodded all knowingly.

"But what about the bite marks?" Tony shuddered. "She's got bite marks in her neck; you're telling me everyday normal people go around biting people's necks?"

"Oh like you've never nibbled on a girl's neck before Tony." Abby laughed.

"That is so different." Tony declared. "I've never left marks like that." He pointed up to the screen. I'll be having nightmares for months." Tony mumbled.

"You're not going to have to worry about sleep unless you start giving me some leads on this case." Gibbs said gruffly as he walked into the lab.

"Hey Gibbs!" Abby said in her usual hyper tone.

"Abs what do you have for me?"

"Ducky was right it was strychnine." Abby said bouncing over to her computer to bring the lab results up on the big screen. "Did you know that small doses of strychnine were once used in medicine? They would use it as a laxative or for a stimulant but they stopped because of…"

"The horrible side effect of death?" Tony said sarcastically.

"Sort of…I mean it all depends on the dosage." Abby said. "There are all sorts of foods that naturally contain chemicals traditionally thought of as poisons." Abby took a sip of her Caf-Pow. "Take potatoes for instance, they have solanine, _**arsenic**_ and chalonine."

"Get out." Tony replied.

"Don't even get me started on carrots; they contain caratatoxin which is a nerve poison _**and**_ hallucinogenic compound called myristicin."

"Well there's a reason not to eat your veggies." Tony laughed.

"You're missing the point." Abby sighed.

"I'm missing the point Abs." Gibbs replied. "Is this going some where?"

"Yes, it's all about the dosage, all chemicals, whether natural or synthetic, are potential toxins at high doses but perfectly safe when consumed in low doses. Even your personal favorite Gibbs," Abby said turning to him. "Caffeine is also a toxin if you take in a high enough dose oh let's say, 50 to 100 cups of coffee. When it comes to toxins in the diet…natural or synthetic…it's the dose makes the poison."

"Better cut back on that coffee boss." Tony said Gibbs shot him a look. "Not that I think you drink a lot of coffee." He said quickly.

"So what are you saying Abs?"

"They consumed a lethal amount of strychnine." Abby said triumphantly. Gibbs turned and glared at Abby. "What?" She asked. "They did."

"You've been spending too much time with Ducky." Gibbs said and walked out of the room. "

"I found it to be very informative." Tony said quickly under his breath.

"Thank you." Abby beamed with delight.

"DiNozzo are you coming?"

"Yeah boss." Tony yelled, throwing a wink at Abby he turned and ran after Gibbs.

"So Abby says that these vampires are not like the undead we see in the movies boss." Tony said as he stepped into the elevator with Gibbs.

"Kind of figured that one DiNozzo."

"How so boss?"

"You have to stab the ones in the movies with a wooden stake through the heart." Gibbs smiled and pushed the down button on the elevator.

"Right." Tony said nodding. "In any case I'm going to go back upstairs and try to find out who killed our blood sucking petty officer." Tony said as the elevator doors opened to autopsy.

"McGee and Ziva are working on that, why don't you come with me to see what Ducky has to say." Gibbs was enjoying watching Tony squirm.

"Uh well I think McGee said something about helping Abby in the lab so I'd better go up there and…"

"I want to know why our petty officer was poisoned and I want to know by the time I get back up there." Gibbs said stepping off the elevator.

"Hope Ducky has a story for you." Tony said under his breath.

"What DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked turning around. Tony waved at him as the doors closed. Gibbs smiled and headed into autopsy. "What do you have for me Duck."

"Ah yes Jethro I was just about to call you." Ducky said turning to Gibbs. "It seems our petty officer is not the sanguivore of this young lady."

"Sangu…what?"

"Our petty officer did not bite this young woman Jethro." Ducky turned back to the bodies. "I've sent the evidence up to Abby for further analysis but I have come to the conclusion that she was bitten by someone else. You see Jethro the space between the petty officer's incisors and the marks on her neck are different lengths. His bite would have left bigger marks than these. I also believe that the marks were made late last night or early this morning. "

"What else can you tell me?"

"Not much I'm afraid both were in excellent condition, there seems to be quite the age difference between the two of them." Ducky sighed looking at the young girl on the autopsy table, he held up an evidence jar. "The reason her eyes were completely blacked out, contact lenses." Gibbs nodded, leaning over to look at the young girls eyes. "I don't know why she'd want to blackout the color of her eyes, they were quite beautiful." Ducky added softly.

"Anything else? 

"I am having Abby run a few more tests for me other than that no." Gibbs nodded and left autopsy."

Tony walked around the corner and over heard McGee and Ziva talking. "Maybe an eternity of being undead is too much of a commitment for him." Ziva cracked, McGee chuckled.

"Maybe it's because he wouldn't be able to see his reflection in the mirror." McGee added as the both of them laughed. Tony now understood how Gibbs felt when he heard them goofing off instead of working.

"Maybe he…" Tony cut Ziva off.

"You two finished?" McGee and Ziva both looked at Tony. "Probie…what do you have?"

"Um…Vickie Moore…she's the vampire chick."

"Yeah I got that McFreak."

"Right…um…she goes to the University of Maryland…home for the summer…lives with her grandmother who is out of town visiting relatives for a few weeks…trying to get in contact with her."

"What about you Zeeva?" Tony asked sitting down at his desk.

"Petty officer Chris Anders…has a wife and two kids…a son…18 and a daughter the same age as our vampire. McGee and I were on our way over to talk to the wife."

"Well what are you waiting for?" Tony asked and then watched them grab their gear and leave.

"Man I don't know how Gibbs does it." Tony said with a sigh.

"I don't…without coffee." Gibbs said as he rounded the corner. He held up his empty cup and then dropped it into Tony's garbage can.

"Right boss." Tony said standing up. "Coffee for the boss man." Tony babbled as he headed for the elevator. Gibbs sat down at his desk. _At last a moment of peace_, he thought.

"Didn't get much from the wife." McGee said sitting down at his desk.

"She totally figged out when we told her about her husband." Ziva stated.

"Wigged out." Tony corrected her.

"What?"

"Not figged out…wigged out."

"That's what I said." Ziva replied.

"No I definitely heard an F sound."

"You're going to hear an F sound DiNozzo…if you don't add something to this case." Gibbs stated while Ziva stuck her tongue out at Tony.

"I've got something to add." Abby said as she sat on the edge of McGee's desk. "Our vampire was with child."

"She was pregnant?" Ziva asked.

"Yep." Abby replied.

"Is our sailor the daddy?" Tony asked.

"I'm running the DNA now."

"How long?" Gibbs asked.

"Gibbs." Abby whined.

"What?"

"It's the same every time." Abby sighed. "_How long Abs_?" She said in her best Gibbs voice. "16 hours." Abby said answering herself. "_Make it 12_." She said mocking Gibbs again. McGee chuckled from behind Abby.

"Something funny agent McGee?

"Uh…no sir." McGee said sitting straighter in his chair.

"Good." Gibbs replied.

"Oh boss." Tony said standing up. "I bagged a journal I found in creepy girl's room."

"And?" Gibbs asked.

"And maybe it will give us a clue as to who daddy is _before_ the DNA results get in."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Nothing." Tony said as he started to head for the evidence garage.

"Wait." Abby yelled and everyone looked at her. "Can I read her journal Gibbs?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "Please?" Abby asked kneeling in front of his desk. "Please Gibbs please?" He nodded and Abby shot off her knees, running around his desk throwing her arms around his neck. "You rock." She said and then took off to get the journal.

"DiNozzo, you and McGee start…" Gibbs trailed off as he watched Ducky climb the stairs towards director Shepard's office.

"Um boss, you were saying?" McGee stammered.

"Yeah start and I'll be right with you." Gibbs replied not taking his eyes off Ducky. Tony, McGee and Ziva all looked at each other, confusion evident on their faces. "Ducky." Gibbs called out as he caught up to the doctor on the stairs. "Whatchya doing up here in my neck of the woods?"

"Is it that rare of an occasion to find me topside that you trudge all the way up here to ask me why?" Ducky asked as he turned to face Gibbs.

"Yep."

"Maybe the director has some questions about an autopsy I performed." Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

"She couldn't just ask you that over the phone?"

"I honestly have no clue why she asked me to come to her office Jethro."

"She didn't say why?"

"Well if she had told me why would I be standing here having this absurd conversation with you?" Gibbs shrugged.

"Maybe."

"Jethro, did it ever occur to you that people might want the pleasure of my company just to hear one of my exhilarating tales?" Gibbs chuckled and shook his head.

"No Duck, that thought has never crossed my mind." Gibbs replied, Ducky smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Hey whatever it is it must be big. Keep me in the loop Duck."

"Have I ever kept you out before?" Gibbs shook his head and turned to leave. He looked back over his shoulder at the doctor who had already turned back and start to make his way to the director's office. Something just didn't feel right.

"What do you have DiNozzo?" Gibbs said as he walked past Tony's desk.

"Um boss?" Gibbs turned to look at him.

"I told you to start what did you get?"

"Well the thing is that you never really said what we should start so I was checking my messages…"

"McGee…do you have anything?" McGee stood up and walked over to Gibbs.

"Well Sir I started to access the phone records of our vampire, I hoped to come across some names that match up with the initials in her diary but nothing so far."

"Good McGee." Gibbs smiled and turned back to Tony. "You better be on your way to finishing what you were suppose to be starting by the time I get back."

"Where you going boss?"

"To get coffee." Gibbs said and made his way to the elevator. When the doors to the elevator shut Tony let out the breath he was holding.

"Still never said what I was supposed to start."


	3. Chapter 3

Ok so this is my take on Gibbs…his wife and daughter…and all that jazz…thanks for the reviews…it's nice to get feedback…

"Ducky, thank you so much for coming up here." Director Shepard said as the doctor sat down in a chair across from her.

"No problem really, it is a bit refreshing to take a stroll among the living after spending so much time with the deceased." Ducky replied with a grin. Awkward silence filled the room as the two sat and stared at each other. After a few minutes the director began to speak.

"I'm having a hard time finding the right words, to form the right questions to ask you Ducky."

"So I see." Puzzled Ducky ran through a few hundred scenarios in his head. He was going to be fired. He had messed up on an autopsy and someone else had caught his mistake. She found him incredibly attractive and was interested in pursuing him romantically. These were only a few of the thoughts that raced through his mind.

"You and Jethro are close, wouldn't you say?" Ducky nodded.

"I suppose you could say that."

"And does he tell you a lot of personal information?" Ducky thought on this for a moment.

"We have had a few conversations that you could say were of a personal nature. I'm afraid I don't know an over abundance of personal information about Jethro, he is a very private person."

"Yes, I am aware of this but I was curious if he had ever talked about Shannon?" She paused and Ducky shook his head.

"Not that I can recall."

"Think hard, did he ever talk to you about his first wife, Shannon?"

"I do believe you are mistaken Director, I believe his first wife's name to be…" she cut him off.

"His _first_ wife Dr. Mallard was named Shannon. I am talking about the first wife that is not known to anyone in this office, the first wife _before_ his first wife." Ducky sat back in his chair not taking his eyes off the director. Could she know? Gibbs had said that nobody in this office knew about Shannon, he was the first person Gibbs had felt he could confide in. Ducky had sworn to his friend that he would not reveal his secret but he had always known that she would be brought to the surface, no matter how hard you try to bury the past, it usually pops back up with a vengeance. "I must know the truth doctor. I have been given information that up until today I would not have believed to be true. I was hoping that you could help me, I figured if there was one person he would trust with such information it would be you."

"Why not just ask him yourself?"

"For one he would not tell me if I just laid the question out to him, second this is something I believe should be handled with a delicate manner until I find out if the information is correct." Ducky considered what she had laid on the table.

"He once told me of a Shannon, the love of his life, the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with." The director nodded. "They were married they had a child, a girl named Kelly."

"Kelly." The director said under her breath.

"Yes." Ducky replied. "The accident happened when Jethro was deployed, the driver was shot and Shannon and Kelly were killed in the crash." Ducky shook his head. "He never really got over loosing them, Shannon and Kelly meant the world to him and his world was lost after they died."

"I can't believe this is true."

"Believe it director; I don't believe Gibbs could make something like this up."

"I agree, it's just that…" She sighed, her eyes searching Ducky as if asking him to understand without her having to say it. He unfortunately was completely clueless as to where she was leading him. "A woman was brought here early…very early…this morning."

"Brought by whom?"

"CIA." Ducky nodded. "She is in one of the interrogation rooms now Ducky. They say she is part of a small but very powerful group that has trained and planted spies into the mainstream of our society. They gather information and sell it to terrorist organizations; the highest bidder buys the intel that these spies have recovered. The CIA has been tracking down the spies and they presume to have most of them in their custody. They also believe to have tracked some of the higher ranking spies of the organization and are confident that given the right intel they will be able to finally put an end this organization for good." Ducky sat quietly for a moment absorbing what he had just been told.

"You believe this woman is Shannon?" The director nodded. "And where does Jethro come into all of this director?" He took off his glasses and began wiping his lenses with a handkerchief. "I can assure you he knew nothing about her involvement with this rouge organization."

"I know he has no involvement with them…"

"As a matter of fact this whole situation will tear his world apart."

"I agree."

"So why involve him at all? He most certainly can not have the intel they are looking for."

"No, she has the intel they want but it was one of her conditions that she come here and talk to Jethro before she gives them the rest of what they want."

"I don't think this to be a healthy situation director…" Shepard interrupted the doctor.

"There is a chance his daughter might be alive." Ducky's mouth dropped open. "I think that Gibbs would want to know, don't you Ducky?" He nodded slowly.

"He loved that little girl more than anything in this world."

"I thought that to be the case." They sat quietly staring at each other for a moment. "When Gibbs and I were…" her face flushed. "in the field together, I would hear him in his sleep talk about someone named Kelly." She shook her head. "You could hear it in his voice, the raw emotion when he said her name." She shrugged. "I didn't know who it was at the time but I knew he cared deeply about her and that he had lost her." They looked at each other, knowing that the next few hours would be some of the hardest in Gibbs life. The shock of seeing the love of his life, who he thought to be dead, of finding out she was a spy, the chance to be reunited with his daughter if she was still alive, both of them wondering if it would all be too much for him.

Gibbs stepped off the elevator, coffee in hand. He was tired, frustrated and something in his gut was telling him that today was going to be one hell of a day. He took a sip of his coffee and hoped that the pounding in his head would subside. He looked up to see Ducky heading his way. "What's the word Duck?" Ducky put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "That bad?"

"Jethro…let's go somewhere we can talk." Gibbs nodded and followed Ducky to one of the interrogation rooms.

"Alright Duck, just let me have it." Gibbs said sitting down at the table.

"There's no easy way to put this." Duck sighed and sat down. The two stared at each other for a few minutes then the doctor began to speak.


	4. Chapter 4

Tony stood up and made his way to Ziva's desk, he looked over his shoulder and motioned for McGee to follow. "Something's up." Tony said as they huddled around the desk.

"Why do you think that?" Ziva asked.

"Oh come on guys, Gibbs has been acting funny all day."

"Gibbs always acts funny." Ziva replied.

"Did you see the look on his face when he saw Ducky going upstairs?" McGee and Ziva shrugged. "And now Ducky pulls Gibbs aside…something has to be up."

"You're being paranoid Tony." McGee said shaking his head.

"Think about it Tony." Ziva said. "We are working a dead end case. Our leads have gone cold, suspects have gone silent and we've probably had five hours of sleep in the past 48 and that was at our desks." Tony shook his head.

"That's not it; we've had cases like this before…my gut is saying something is up." McGee rolled his eyes and Ziva smiled.

"You're B.O. level is up, does that count?" Ziva asked. Tony raised his arms as if to smell his arm pits.

"You think its bad Probie?"

"Well…it is kind of reminiscent of two week old gym socks found at the bottom of a duffle bag."

"Ah what do you two know?" Tony said walking back to his desk as they laughed at him.

"Maybe you should ask what I know." Abby said bounding into the bullpen. Everyone turned to look at her. "I know fourteen different ways to make McGee blush." Abby said with a wicked smile. "Make that fifteen." Abby said triumphantly as she noticed his face turning red.

"Abby." Tony snapped. "Do you have something or not?"

"Testy today?" Abby asked Tony.

"Don't keep us in the dark Abby." Ziva said. "We are waiting with bated breasts." Tony began laughing hysterically. "What?" Ziva asked looking confused.

"Um Ziva." McGee said, his face turning another shade of red. "It's...well the term is bated breath…not bated breasts. The uh word bate means to moderate or restrain so bated breath would be held breath what you said is um…we are holding our breasts."

"If you need help with yours…" Tony offered with a wiggle of the eyebrows, Ziva threw a pen at him.

"Anyway…" Abby said drawing the attention back to her. "Guess what our petty officer's daughter's nick name is?" Everyone shrugged. "Rayne."

"Ok." McGee said slowly not following where Abby was going with this information.

"Well we know that our vampire said she was falling in love with two people, but she only used their first initials when she wrote about them in her journal." Everyone nodded. "We all figured the C was for Chris but we couldn't…"

"Figure out the R." Ziva finished Abby's sentence.

"Exactly." Abby replied.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Tony asked.

"Depends. Are you thinking of something incredible creepy and just down right freak'n weird?" Abby asked, Tony nodded.

"Our vampire fell in love with the petty office and his daughter." Everyone in the room shuttered.

"Talk about keeping it in the family." Ziva mumbled.

Ducky and Gibbs stood behind a two-way mirror looking into another interrogation room. Gibbs stared in disbelief at the woman sitting at the table. "How can this be Duck?" Gibbs asked. "I look at her and I see Shannon, the love of my life, the mother of my child and you tell me she isn't who she said she is?" Gibbs shook his head, nothing made sense any more. "From the very first time I laid eyes on her I knew she was the one for me. She's the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think of before I fall asleep. I would have done anything in the world to bring Shannon and Kelly back to me and I find out now that it was all a lie, I was just some pawn in her game? I loved her Duck and I didn't even know her." Ducky put his hand on Gibb's shoulder, very few times in his life had he been at a loss for words and this was one of them. "She used me to betray my country."

"I'm so sorry Jethro." Ducky felt tears welling up in his own eyes, he could feel his friend's heart breaking just as if it were his own. He hadn't told Gibbs about his daughter, he had barely gotten out the story about Shannon when Gibbs stormed out of the interrogation room they had been in and into this one. Gibbs took a deep breath and turned towards the door. "Jethro…"

"I have to Duck…I just have to." Gibbs said and opened the door.

"They've been gone too long." Tony said out loud but to no one in particular.

"Gibbs is probably trapped in one of Ducky's endless brain dribble stories and he can't escape." Ziva replied not looking up from her computer.

"Yeah well we all know that when Gibbs is in one of these moods he does not tolerate Ducky stories, especially not ones that would last this long."

"Take advantage of this little bit of down time, because you know when he comes back he'll be all over our asses." Ziva looked up and smiled, Tony shook his head.

"Something's not right." He said under his breath.

"Do you think we should go find him?" McGee asked, both Ziva and Tony looked at him as if he was out of his mind. "Well I just uh…I mean we have a new lead and I just thought that maybe he um…well he would want to know."

"No Probie." Tony said standing up. "The boss is busy with something and we are going to follow up on this lead on our own."

"Uh don't you think we should at least tell him where we are?" McGee asked.

"Probie get the car." Tony and Ziva started gathering their things.

"Maybe we uh…maybe we should leave him a note just um saying where we are." McGee suggested as he watched Tony and Ziva head for the elevator.

Gibbs entered the room and sat down across from the woman he thought he had known and loved. His hands were out in front of him, she smiled, laying her hands on top of his. "Jethro." She said softly. His heart pounded in his chest, he was aware that all the eyes in the room were on him. He pulled his hands away from hers and sat back in the chair. His eyes searched hers, looking for the woman that had captured his heart, he couldn't see her. "I knew this wouldn't be easy." She searched his eyes for any sign of emotion, she found none. "I can't even imagine what you have gone through all these years." Gibbs didn't move, didn't take his eyes off hers, and didn't respond in any way. "I don't know what I can say that might…" Gibbs cut her off.

"What is it that you want to talk to me about?"

"Jethro I never meant to…"

"If you came here to apologize you've wasted your time and everyone else's in this room."

"I haven't."

"Then say what you have to say and leave." She nodded.

"None of it was my idea. They had everything planned. Me seeing the murder, the shooting of the NIS agent, the crash, it was planned right down to the very last detail."

"Why?" Gibbs asked.

"I started giving them phony documents…bad intel…anything to buy myself some time. I had to figure out a way to get out…I didn't want to do it anymore; I just wanted to be with you and Kelly and live happily as a family.

"You wanted out?" Gibbs ran his hand through his hair. His headache was growing stronger by the minute.

"Yes because I loved you and…" Gibbs slammed his hand down on the table, everyone in the room jumped.

"Don't ever say that." He watched as tears rolled down her face. "You took away my family, not once but twice. The first time with this phony accident and now by telling me that everything I had was based on a lie. You don't know the pain I've had to live with every single day, mourning the family that I lost and now I find out it was all lies. Don't talk to me about love."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't want your apologies." Gibbs stood up to leave. "I've heard enough." He headed toward the door.

"She's alive Jethro, Kelly is alive." Gibbs turned around. "I didn't know until a few weeks ago. They told me she had died in the accident, the accident wasn't phony Jethro, it was just planned." Gibbs sat back down.

"What?"

"When I woke up I was in what I thought was a hospital. They told me Kelly had died in the accident, they showed me pictures of the car, all the blood and I believed them. I know it was foolish on my part to believe anything they would have told me but I did and it cost me everything."

"I'm beginning to understand that feeling." Gibbs said quietly.

"I lost it when they told me she had died, I completely shut down for a couple weeks I did absolutely nothing, and they had me on some kind of anti depressants that kept me in a state of emotional numbness. They slowly took me off the drugs, they told me I was to continue to work for them, only I would be given a new assignment and I would never see you again. I considered going to you and telling you everything but I couldn't Jethro, I knew you would never understand. I also knew they would kill you if they found out you knew the truth and I couldn't live with the thought of…"

"I don't want to hear the whole story, just give me the facts." Gibbs said coldly.

"I began working in our headquarters, about five months ago, I told them I couldn't handle the field work anymore so they put me behind a desk. It was all part of…" Gibbs cut her off.

"And you found Kelly?"

"Three weeks ago I found a document that reported Kelly had been dropped off at a catholic orphanage, St. Michael's in Pennsylvania." Gibbs nodded. "That's all that it said, I couldn't find any more information on her, it's like she just vanished. When I tried to contact St. Michael's I found out it had been shut down years ago and all their files had been either sealed or discarded. This all happened after I had started working with the C.I.A. to bring down the organization. The C.I.A. brought me into protective custody and promised to help me look for Kelly. I don't know what happened Jethro, they must have realized I was the mole and they got to Kelly before I could. I got an e-mail yesterday that said if I don't turn myself over to them they are going to kill Kelly."

"How do you know they have her?" Gibbs asked.

"They sent me this." She pushed a picture over to him. He looked down at the photo, he felt as if he were looking into his own eyes. Only hers were not hardened by years of grief, hers were wide with fear. His mind flashed back to a night that his daughter came running into their bedroom, screaming at the top of her lungs. He had automatically sat up in bed, reaching toward the nightstand to grab his gun. Kelly had jumped into his arms, looking up at him eyes wide with fright. _"A monster under my bed told me he was going to put cheese up my nose."_ She said as she wrapped her tiny arms around him. He had kissed the top of her head and said _"You're safe now baby cakes, I won't let any monsters put cheese up your nose."_ With that he put her down in the bed between himself and Shannon. Those eyes that stared up at him in fright that night were the same eyes that stared up at him now.

"Where do I come into all of this?" He asked.

"The C.I.A. wants a list of all the top agents and everyone in charge of my organization. Once I am sure Kelly is safe, with you, then and only then I will give them the list that they want."

"Ok." Gibbs nodded.

"But I want you to go after Kelly." Gibbs tilted his head and stared hard at her. I want you and your team to get Kelly. No one else, I know you won't take any unnecessary risks with our daughter's life, these guys, "she looked over her shoulder at the suits. "I just can't trust that they would do the same." Gibbs nodded, she was right. The C.I.A. didn't care if Kelly lived or died, their only mission was to get the list and take down the organization and they would do what ever they had to in order to get that done.

"So they are asking for you in exchange for Kelly?" Shannon nodded.

"I'm willing to give myself to them; I don't want to try to pull any switches or anything that will put Kelly in any danger."

"They will kill you." Gibbs said flatly.

"It doesn't matter, my life ended in that car accident, everything that ever meant anything to me was taken away and I have no one to blame that on but myself." Gibbs stood up.

"When is the exchange supposed to go down?"

"Tomorrow on the Pennsylvania Maryland border." Gibbs left the room.


	5. Chapter 5

"I can't believe it." Ziva said as they drove. "This whole time we thought it was the mom."

"We don't know that the daughter did anything yet Ziva." Tony stated.

"It explains why there were so many calls to the Anders residence." McGee added. "But she seemed so upset when she found out that her dad was dead, how do you fake emotions like that?"

"Unless…" Tony began.

"She hadn't planned on killing her father; she didn't know he was the other lover." Ziva said. "She knew she would be killing her lover and her lover's lover but she had no idea…"

"That it was her father." Tony finished, just then Tony's cell phone rang making them all jump. Tony looked at the caller ID. "Gibbs" he whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Ziva asked. Tony shrugged.

"DiNozzo." He said as sweetly as he could.

"Where the hell are you guys?" Gibbs barked into the phone.

"We got a new lead on the…" 

"I don't care."

"But boss…" 

"I don't care DiNozzo, I need you back in the squad room now." Tony made a motion with his hand for Ziva to turn the car around.

"We're on our way boss." Tony hung up the phone. "The boss is pissed and wants us back in the squad room."

"Told ya we should have left a note." McGee said from the backseat.

Gibbs opened the door to Director Sheppard's outer office and continued to walk right to the next set of doors. "Go on in." Cynthia said as he passed her. "The director is expecting you." Gibbs opened the door to find Jenny sitting at her desk, hands folded in front of her.

"How long have you known?" Gibbs demanded.

"She came in early this morning." She replied calmly, Gibbs paced back and forth in her office. "I wish you would have let me in." She said softly. Gibbs stopped pacing and looked at her.

"I didn't let anyone in after they were killed." He said and then sat down, Jenny nodded.

"What is your plan?"

"We give them what they want, anything less and Kelly dies."

"Jethro…"

"My team and I are going up to the drop site tonight. We are going to stake the area out. They bring Shannon up tomorrow and we make the switch, after we are sure Kelly is safe and out of harms way we go after Shannon, ambush or we follow them or something…"

"Ok." The director replied. "What if they kill her? We loose all the valuable information she can provide us."

"I don't really give a damn."

"Jethro..." she paused. "Don't you want to bring down the organization that caused you all this pain?" Gibbs stood up, leaning on the director's desk looking right into her eyes.

"Your damn right I want to bring them down, I'd make every single one of those bastards suffer but my top priority is my daughter, I won't loose her again."

"Alright." Jenny nodded.

"I want them to give Abby any of the communications between Shannon and the kidnappers. She might be able to run a trace on them, find out where they've been keeping her. I'll call you after we get there and have a look around." Gibbs said and left the directors office.

By the time the team made it back to headquarters Gibbs had packed all the gear he could fit into the trunk and was sitting in the car ready to go. Tony, McGee and Ziva all looked at each other and stood in shocked silence. "Are you guys waiting for an invitation?" Gibbs hollered out the window. The team got into the car and Gibbs peeled out of the parking lot.

The car ride had been silent so far, too silent for Tony. He wanted to say something, he had a million questions to ask Gibbs but so far every attempt he had made to communicate with his boss had been shot down. Ziva and McGee had also tried to ask him questions but they were met with the same cold stares and non verbal responses as Tony. The three of them had given up, knowing that Gibbs would talk when Gibbs was ready. That didn't stop Tony from occasionally turning around and giving Ziva and McGee the _I told you something was wrong_ look and Gibbs silence didn't stop him from slapping Tony on the back of the head every time he turned around.

To McGee the car ride so far reminded him of the time he and his family had taken a vacation to the Catskills. Before they had even pulled out of the driveway he and his sister were at each other's throats. It had all been his sister's fault, of course. She had sat on his brand new comic book, which he had been saving for the trip so he would have something new and exciting to read, but she had to go and sit on the comic and wrinkle the pages before he had even had a chance to look at them. One of the things he had loved the most about a new comic book was looking at the pages for the first time. Seeing how smooth and clean the pages looked and it was common knowledge that comics are best viewed on smooth clean pages. The rest of the trip had been silent simply because his father had told them if he heard so much as a peep out of either one of them he would turn the car around and drop them off at their Grandmother McGee's house, a punishment worse then death.

Ziva however loved the silence, even her need to know where they were going and why they were going there couldn't top the fact that she did not have to listen to Tony ramble on and on about how this car trip reminded him of a movie. No doubt he would name some cop movie that had some famous actor that she had never even heard of, and then start rambling on about the plot and firing off quotes from the movie. Most of the movies that Tony watched did not interest her in the least. There had been that one movie that Tony had droned on and on about and just to see what he was talking about she watched it. It had been that one with the dead guy named Bernie. She would never admit it to Tony, even if her life depended on it but she did enjoy the movie, it had made her laugh as much as she tried to deny it she did take pleasure in it, to some extent anyway. When Ziva caught herself thinking about the movies that Tony had talked about and that she had ended up watching she cursed herself and resolved never to watch another movie that Tony bombarded her with.

Gibbs could think of nothing but Shannon and Kelly. They were alive, Shannon was a spy and Kelly was alive but kidnapped, what the hell was going on here? He knew he would never be able to forgive Shannon for what she had done and all that she had taken away from him the past fifteen years but at the same time he knew he couldn't just erase over twenty years of emotions and feeling for her. He decided he couldn't think about Shannon right now, he would deal with her later; right now he had to focus on Kelly and getting her back.


	6. Chapter 6

"So boss don't you even want to know about the lead we got on the blood suckers?" As Tony was baiting Gibbs to talk McGee's cell phone rang. He laughed nervously as the Adam's Family Theme played in his pocket.

"It's…uh…Abby's cell." McGee muttered.

"Are ya gonna answer it?" Gibbs asked. McGee fumbled with the phone as he retrieved it from his pocket.

"Abs…"

"Hey sexy." Abby said in a low husky whisper.

"Abby." McGee blushed.

"Do ya like the ring tone I programmed in there while you were sleeping?" Abby asked excitedly.

"Cute Abs but…"

"I love it when you blush Timmy you look so adorable."

"How did you…" McGee asked looking around. Tony turned around in his seat to try and make it so he could hear Abby's side of the conversation as well.

"Oh come on McGee!" Abby exclaimed. "Who wouldn't bet on you blushing after being called sexy in front of Gibbs?" McGee felt his face burn even hotter.

"Abby."

"Look I know you can't really talk right now but I just wanted to call and tell you to be careful. Everything I've found out about these guys is bad news, they are whacked out McGee."

"Who?"

"I'm sure Gibbs will fill you in…"

"Are you just trying to mess with me Abs?"

"No! No…I'm being serious Tim." McGee knew now she was indeed serious she only called him Tim at such a time. "I have a bad feeling about something so I want you to be careful." McGee could see Gibbs glancing at him in the rearview mirror; Tony was leaning even further into the backseat. Ziva was the only one who seemed to be minding her own business, which was a sure fire clue that she was trying to listen to the conversation as well. "Don't forget you owe me a date." McGee tried to huddle into the corner of the backseat, trying to get as much privacy as he could manage. "Don't think that because Gibbs made you work last night you're getting away with not taking me out."

"I'm not." McGee replied.

"And don't think that sneaking down to the lab after Tony and Ziva were asleep qualifies as a date…because it doesn't."

"I know."

"Just be careful ok?"

"I will."

"Ok, tell the others too." Abby said and then hung up; McGee sighed and shoved his phone back in his pocket.

"What did she say?" Gibbs asked.

"To be careful she has a feeling that something bad is going to happen." McGee shrugged. "She said these guys are whacked out."

"Ok boss spill it." Tony said frustration evident in his voice. "At least tell us where the hell we're going." Gibbs threw Tony a death look. "C'mon Gibbs, you can't keep us in the dark…no wonder Abby has a hinky feeling you're making us go into this thing blind."

"You're right." Gibbs replied which caused everyone to stare at Gibbs in amazement. "It's not right to keep you in the dark." Gibbs took a moment to think about how much information he should reveal. "A woman was brought to us earlier in the day by the C.I.A."

"Why?" Ziva asked.

"She's a spy, turned double agent, trying to bring down her organization." Gibbs paused. "Her daughter was kidnapped, they are holding her for ransom, we hand over the mother and they let the daughter go."

"Why were we brought into this?" McGee asked, Gibbs thought for a moment.

"She's married to a marine." He replied.

"They can't just let the woman go." Ziva stated. "They will loose valuable intel."

"If we successfully retrieve her daughter and place her in protective custody then Shhh," Gibbs stopped himself from saying Shannon. "She will give us, or the C.I.A. all the intel they need to take down the entire organization."

"So we get the girl and get out?" Tony asked?

"We get the daughter and when she is safe we go after the mother."

"When is the switch happening?" Ziva asked.

"Tomorrow."

"Then why are we going up tonight?"

"I want to know everything we can about this place." Gibbs stated. "I want to know every route in and out of this location. I want to know the best location for and extraction team for the mom; I want to know the best location for our vehicles so we can get the girl to them as quickly as possible and the safest route back to headquarters. I want eyes on the drop site at all times, if these kidnappers set foot within 50 miles of the area I want to know about it. If they even think about the drop site I want to know about it!" Gibbs barked. "Got it?"

"Got it." His team replied in unison. "But boss isn't that a lot for only the four of us to do?" Tony asked Gibbs shot him a look. "Not that I don't trust your ability to…"

"Shut it DiNozzo." Gibbs replied. "We've got more agents on the way." Gibbs turned off the main road and started traveling back a bumpy dirt road. "The drop site is an old orphanage. While we wait for the other team to arrive I'll fill you in on everything we know about this group so far."

Gibbs climbed into the backseat of the Chevy Suburban that the C.I.A. had brought Shannon earlier that day. He was bone tired; he hadn't slept at all the previous night. His mind had been brimming with different scenarios and the best way for them to get Kelly out of each one of them. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, in less than an hour he would have his daughter back. He lifted his head and opened his eyes when the door opposite opened and Shannon crawled into the backseat with him. "They said you wanted to talk to me." She said as she closed the door, Gibbs nodded. His heart raced, he still didn't know or understand all the feelings that swelled inside him every time he saw her. "She's not going to remember you."

"What?"

"Kelly." Shannon took a deep breath. "At least not right away. They call it cleaning. They clean out the memories that they don't want you to have; I've seen them do it to hundreds of people. Sometimes it works and the memories have been completely wiped out, some people gradually regain their memories. I think it depends on how strong the memory was and how important it was to the person."

"So you're telling me my daughter won't remember who I am?" Shannon nodded.

"She could possibly remember but in most cases a cleaning done on someone younger is more permanent. Don't try to force her to remember, if the memories come back it is best that it happens slowly and gradually than all at once." Gibbs sighed and leaned back against the seat. "Take care of her." He felt Shannon's hand cover his. "I know you will but it just feels better to actually say it. I know how much you must hate me…" Gibbs cut her off.

"We are not going to let them take you." He pulled his hand away from her. "When Kelly is safe we are going to get you. A team will follow you and when we radio that she's safe they will extract you." Shannon nodded. "You have your vest on?"

"Yes, bullet proof vest." Shannon said patting her chest. "Watch with a built in GPS tracking device." She said holding up her left hand so that Gibbs could see the watch. Gibbs nodded and opened the car door and slid out. He turned and noticed that tears threatened to spill down her cheeks at any moment. Gibbs leaned on the leather seat and put his hand on top of hers.

"Don't worry, she's going to be alright." Shannon nodded.

"I know she will be."


	7. Chapter 7

Ziva knew from the moment she saw Shannon who she was. When she had profiled Gibbs for Ari she had found pictures of Shannon and Kelly. Shannon although she had aged looked exactly like her photos. Ziva watched as Gibbs got out of the Suburban and walked towards her. She looked down at her watch and then up at Gibbs as he stood in front of her. "It's time to go."

"Teams in place?" He asked, Ziva nodded. "Good. When we get the girl." _Your daughter_ Ziva thought. "I want you guys to get her out of here as fast as you can, I want Tony driving." Ziva looked hurt for a moment but nodded. "I want you watching for a tail, if you see anything hinky go the other way. I don't know if these guys will try to get the girl back but we are going to do everything in our power to keep her safe."

"Got it."

"I want McGee in the back with the girl; he doesn't leave her side until I get back. I want him to debrief her and see if she needs any medical attention, if it's nothing serious wait till you get back to HQ and have Ducky look at her."

"Where will you be?"

"I'm going after her." Gibbs nodded toward the Suburban. "Once you reach the check point radio me and let me know." Earlier they had determined several check points that would give Ziva enough time to determine if they were being followed or not.

"You will need backup." Ziva stated.

"I will have it, I need you three with the girl, she is our top priority." Ziva nodded. "Ok let's go." Ziva got Tony and McGee and they climbed into the Suburban McGee and Gibbs in the back with Shannon in between. The ride there was silent; Shannon sat with her hands clenched together on her lap. "Nervous?" Gibbs said under his breath, Shannon nodded.

"Yes a little."

"It's going to be alright, we've got teams set up, we've got our asses and yours covered." Shannon nodded. Gibbs took her arm and pressed the button on her watch to activate the GPS tracking device. She flashed a smile at Gibbs and in that second his gut wrenched, his gut was telling him something bad was about to happen. They slowly drove up to the drop site, a white working van with dark tinted windows sat parked close to the orphanage. _Just where they said they would be_. Gibbs thought. They parked down on the edge of the road. "Tony stay in the car, be ready to take off as soon as you've got her in here.

"Got it boss."

"Ziva, McGee, with me." The four of them got out of the car and slowly began walking toward the other vehicle. When Gibbs saw two guys get out with Kelly he thought his knees would buckle. His little girl, fifteen years older but still every bit his little girl. He heard Shannon gasp at the site of Kelly and realized that this was the first time she'd seen her as well. Gibbs grabbed Shannon's hand and squeezed it briefly and then let go, a movement that went undetected by McGee and Tony but did not escape the watchful eye of Ziva.

"Stop." One of the masked men yelled. "Just one of you bring her, we'll meet half way." Gibbs nodded for McGee and Ziva to stay.

"Be ready." He whispered to Ziva and McGee, they nodded, and he put his hand on Shannon's back and continued walking towards their daughter. Kelly's hands were bound behind her back and she had a gag in her mouth, she was crying and looked completely terrified, Gibbs heart ached at the site and wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms again. The two groups stopped about ten feet apart from each other. "Let her go." Gibbs said nodding toward Kelly. Shannon started walking toward the other group as they pushed Kelly forward and she started walking towards Gibbs. Kelly didn't take her eyes off Shannon as they were walking.

"Go to him." Shannon said to Kelly. "He will keep you safe." Kelly nodded and hurried over to Gibbs. The two men grabbed Shannon and started to drag her to the van. As soon as Kelly reached Gibbs they started towards their vehicle he looked over his shoulder as they pushed Shannon into the van. As Gibbs turned back around he felt the explosion before he actually heard it. He and Kelly were thrown to the ground from the shock waves along with Ziva and McGee. Burning shrapnel rained down around them and he covered Kelly's body with his own to protect her. He could feel Kelly crying beneath him. He lifted his head to see McGee and Ziva crawling over to them, Tony was out of the car running towards them.

"You ok boss?" He heard McGee ask but he sounded worlds away. He started to get up, Ziva helping him to his feet, McGee helping Kelly. Gibbs turned to see the burning hulk of what was the van and started towards it. Ziva grabbed his arm and he shook off her hand. Tears burned hot in his eyes as Ziva grabbed him again and spun him around.

"You can't save her, she's gone." Ziva stated Gibbs shook his head.

"No." he replied.

"Gibbs, Shannon is gone; you have to focus on Kelly now." Gibbs looked Ziva in the eye. He'd forgotten that she knew about Kelly and Shannon. "You can't do anything for Shannon; let's get Kelly out of here." Gibbs nodded slowly as he began to realize the situation at hand. "Can you walk?"

"Of course I can walk." Gibbs said gruffly and Ziva smiled and they walked over to McGee and Kelly. "Let's go." Gibbs said. "Tony back in the vehicle." Gibbs yelled. Tony turned around and ran back to the suburban. Ziva watched as other teams were going toward the burning van. Ziva jumped into the front passenger side and McGee and Gibbs in the back with Kelly. "Are you ok?" Gibbs asked Kelly as he undid her gag and McGee began cutting the plastic ties around her wrists.

"I think so." Kelly looked at the four of them, eyes wide with fear. "I…I have no idea what is going on…one day I'm at home working in my shop and the next thing you know I'm kidnapped." She said and started crying. Gibbs pulled her into him as she cried, trying to calm her down.

"You're safe now." He said holding her close.


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't believe I'm sitting in an autopsy room…on an autopsy table…waiting for a medical examiner to come look at me." The young woman looked up at Gibbs and flashed him a smile. "It's kind of weird."

"I'm sure but Ducky is a good doctor, he'll fix you up." Gibbs said sitting next to her.

"I don't need fixed up." She replied. "They are just a few cuts and none of them too deep, I'll be fine, really you don't have to have him…"

"Well hello Jethro." Ducky said as he entered the room.

"Hey Duck, I brought you a guest."

"You usually do." Ducky said as he walked over to them. "I can't remember you ever bringing me such a beauty though." Ducky said winking at Kelly. "I'm Dr. Mallard dear but you can call me Ducky, everyone does."

"Dani…well Danielle but everyone calls me Dani…um except him." Dani said cocking her thumb towards Gibbs. "And those other agents."

"Your name isn't Kelly?" Gibbs asked.

"Nope," she shrugged. "At least I don't think so, um, the first 8 years of my life are kind of fuzzy." Her cheeks flushed a bright red. "My parents dumped me at an orphanage when I was 8 and I couldn't remember anything that happened before that. The priests at St. Michaels let me pick my own name and I picked Danielle Elizabeth."

"And your last name?"

"Ryan, after Fr. Ryan, he was always my favorite." Gibbs nodded; his heart sank as he realized that she did not remember him or anything before she had been taken to St. Michaels.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you my dear." Ducky said as he began to examine her cuts.

"Likewise." Dani replied. "I'm fine really, you don't have to…"

"I'll be back ok Duck?" Gibbs said standing up.

"We'll be fine Jethro, go take care of business and come back down here when you are done, I want to take a look at that." Ducky gestured to the large cut on his forehead. "It doesn't look deep but I'd like to look at it none the less."

"I'm fine Duck." Gibbs said as he walked out of autopsy. He had pressed the button for the elevator and was waiting for it to come down to his floor, while he waited he watched Kelly through the window. Such a whirlwind of emotions twisted inside of him he didn't know how he should feel. After fifteen years he finally had Kelly back, his little girl was alive but she didn't remember him. He had lost Shannon again, it had nearly killed him the first time but this time…this time would be different because of Kelly.

"Hey boss." Tony said as he and Ziva walked up behind Gibbs. Tony saw Gibbs jump and he was amazed that he'd caught him off guard. In all the years he had worked with Gibbs never had he been caught off guard.

"We wrote up the incident report and left it with Cynthia for director Sheppard to read." Ziva said as Gibbs turned around.

"Good." Gibbs said nodding, trying to get his mind together. "Ok, um…Kelly…I mean Dani…" Ziva cut Gibbs off.

"So she isn't Kelly?" She asked.

"She doesn't remember her birth name; they let her pick her own name at the orphanage." Gibbs replied. "DiNozzo you and Ziva are going to take Dani to my cabin."

"I didn't know you had a cabin boss."

"That's kind of the point."

"Right." Tony said nodding.

"You will stay there with Dani until I come to get you. I don't want to take any chances with her, so that means someone is with her all the time got it?" Tony and Ziva both nodded.

"Got it." They replied in unison.

"Go home; get some clothes and whatever else you will need…"

"Do you have a TV there boss?"

"Do I look like the kind of guy who would have a TV in his cabin DiNozzo?"

"No, definitely not boss."

"Ziva I want you to stop and get some food and supplies…"

"Can I get the food?" Tony asked.

"No DiNozzo and if you interrupt me again I'll…" 

"Got it boss." Tony said before he could finish his sentence.

"One last thing." Gibbs said staring at Tony. "Don't…even…think about it."

"Think about what boss?" Tony replied as Ziva snickered.

"The only thing you ever think about Tony." Ziva said as she rolled her eyes.

"Exactly." Gibbs said. "If you try anything…or even think about her in an impure fashion I will have your ass."

"Oh boss c'mon…she's hot…with a capital h." Gibbs smacked Tony on the back of the head.

"Don't do it DiNozzo, it would be the single worst mistake of your life." Gibbs said as he turned and headed for the elevator.

"Boss that's like putting a bone in front of a dog and telling him not to go after it." Tony said as he and Ziva followed Gibbs into the elevator. "It's cruel and unfair and you just can't do that to me boss."

"I'm warning you."

"I'd listen to him Tony." Ziva stated. "He looks serious." Tony scoffed.

"The boss always looks serious." Gibbs turned so he was almost nose to nose with Tony looking him right in the eye. "Got it boss, no hanky panky and no impure thoughts…I'll be on my best behavior."

Gibbs found himself alone in the squad room; he stared at the envelope that had been lying on his desk when he sat down. All it said was Jethro on the front but it was Shannon's writing. His finger traced his name over and over again until he found the courage to open it. Inside was a white envelope and a small plastic case. He opened the next envelope and pulled out a hand written letter to him from Shannon. His vision blurred with tears and he looked around the squad room again to make sure he was alone. He sat back in his chair and began to read.

Jethro,

No doubt by now you will have Kelly and I will be dead. Don't beat yourself up about it, I knew it was going to happen, I knew there was no way they would let me live and continue to be a threat to the organization. I can only imagine what you must think of me and my involvement with them. I can give you a million excuses why but that's all they are…excuses and we all know how you feel about excuse. What I wanted you to know was that my feelings for you were true. There was chemistry between us Jethro. You can't fake chemistry like that, it's either there or it's not. It was there for us because what we had was real, I loved you and I loved Kelly more than anything. Don't ever doubt my love for you Jethro.

Shannon

Gibbs sat back in his chair and took a deep breath; he read the letter two more times before putting it back in the envelope and reaching for the plastic case. When he opened it up he found a pair of contact lenses floating inside. He studied them for a moment and put the lid back on and slipped the case into his pocket.


	9. Chapter 9

Tony rolled over on his side and looked at the clock beside the bed; he had fifteen more minutes before the alarm would go off. He thought about rolling back over and closing his eyes but if he got up now that would be fifteen minutes longer he could spend with Dani. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed at his still sleep ridden eyes. He had taken the night watch while Ziva had days, which he thought would decreases the amount of time spent with Dani and therefore lessen the temptation to try and seduce her with his charm. As it turned out Dani was a classic night owl. Over the past four days they had bonded, Dani was a huge movie fanatic, so instantly they connected over their top ten movies. Tony stood up and stretched, his muscles protesting as he did, he would have to remember to tell Gibbs he needed new mattresses in this joint, the ones he had now were hard as rocks.

Tony made his way to the living room to find Ziva on the couch reading; a quick scan of the living room produced no Dani. "Where is she?" Tony asked.

"Outside." Ziva replied not looking up from her book.

"You're not supposed to leave her alone." Tony said as he made his way to the door.

"Relax she's fine." Ziva said as she continued reading. Tony opened the door and didn't see Dani. He ran around the side of the cabin and found her sitting in a clearing on the hillside. Tony made his way over to her, smiling as he went, she was beautiful and smart, really funny and the thing he liked most about her was when he gave her shit she gave it right back. He sat down next to her; she looked at him and started to laugh.

"What?" He replied self consciously.

"Nice do."

"Oh…yeah…I worked on it all night." Tony said as he ran his fingers through his jumbled mess of hair. "What are you doing out here?"

"I wanted to see the sunset."

"Don't you think all these hills will be in the way?" Tony asked she elbowed him playfully.

"Well yeah dork, but the sky will be pretty."

"Oh." Tony said nodding. "Did you just call me dork?" Tony couldn't remember the last time he'd been called a dork.

"Yeah." She said giggling. "You are a dork of the highest degree." Tony raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'll have you know many women find me attractive."

"What makes you think I don't find dorks attractive?" Dani asked punching him in the shoulder.

"Ouch." Tony said rubbing the spot she had hit. "What did you do that for?"

"That's for being so damn dorky."

"So you do find me attractive." She hit him again.

"I never said that."

"Oh but you didn't have to." He caught her wrist this time before she made contact with her fist. "Don't try to fight the attraction Dani, no woman can resist DiNozzo."

"Oh my God." She said rolling her eyes. "You did not just say that." Tony laughed at himself.

"Yeah it was a bit of an over kill huh?"

"Ya think?" She looked at her wrist and back to Tony's face. "You going to let go anytime soon?" Tony shrugged. Dani reached over with her free hand began to tickle Tony; he let out a string of boyish giggles.

"Ok stop." He said as he let go of her wrist.

"Oh so we're ticklish huh?" Dani asked and with a sinister smile she started using both her hands to tickle him.

"No…ok Dani really you have to stop." Tony said between laughing. "I hate being tickled." Tony said as he tried to squirm away from her, when she didn't stop Tony grabbed one of her wrists. While he was trying to get the other wrist Dani was practically laying on top of him trying to tickle him with her free hand. Tony soon caught the other wrist and flipped her so she was lying on her back and he was pressed against her, pinning her hands over her head. "Tickling is the worst." He said breathless from laughing.

"Baby." She replied. Tony was suddenly aware of their bodies pressed together and the close proximity of his face to hers. He could feel her warm breath on his skin and Tony knew he needed to put some distance between them; he couldn't be this close to her and stay in control of the situation. "Are you going to kiss me or what?" Dani asked softly. Tony let go of her wrists and sat up.

"I can't." He said shaking his head, he scooted away from her just for an add measure of protection.

"Don't tell me you're gay?" Dani said sitting up.

"What?" Tony asked.

"All the good ones are either taken or they're gay…you are obviously not taken so you must be gay."

"I am so not gay." Tony said standing up and taking a few steps away from her. Dani stood up as well and walked over to him.

"Then tell me what it is…is it me? Do you not find me attractive?" Tony looked at her, he shook his head.

"You are very attractive."

"Well then?" Tony was silent. "Tell me you don't feel something here." Dani said grabbing Tony's hand. He felt it, every time they'd touched over the past few days he had felt it. Tony wasn't sure what to do, he was on unfamiliar ground. Only once in the past had he actually felt this sort of connection with someone. Usually with women it was all about getting them into bed and he felt different with Dani. He actually looked forward to spending time with her. He could actually see himself in a relationship with her and that scared him. Not to mention the fact that Gibbs had threatened his life if anything were to happen between them. "So you're just going to what not talk to me now?" Dani said letting go of his hand and walking back to the cabin.

"Wait." Tony said running to catch up to her, he stood in front of her, looking down into her eyes. "You said all the good ones are either taken or gay, right?"

"What?"

"It's my job to protect you Dani, that's what I'm trying to do here. I'm not a good guy…"

"Tony…"

"No I'm being serious. Look Dani, I'm the kind of guy that has a new girlfriend every week, I never get into a serious relationship, it's always been all about the sex." Tony said laying it all on the line. "You deserve more than I can give you."

"Caterpillars always turn into butterflies." Dani replied. Tony thought about it for a moment.

"What?"

"Caterpillars are creepy and nasty and gross just like the guy you just described." Dani said flashing him a smile. "But they always turn into butterflies."

"And they aren't creepy and nasty and gross?" Tony asked.

"Right, so I'll just wait for you to turn into a butterfly." She said and started walking back to the cabin. Tony laughed.

"That was so corny." Dani turned around and flipped him off.

"Just don't take too long DiNozzo cuz I won't wait forever." She winked at him and walked into the cabin.


	10. Chapter 10

Dani was walking around the cabin, looking at the paintings that hung on the walls and books that lined the shelves. "So this is agent Gibbs place?" She asked.

"Yep." Tony said as he watched her explore the cabin. "I never even knew he had this place, doesn't look like he uses it too much."

"It feels familiar to me." She said more to herself than Tony.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked walking over to her.

"I don't know, it's just like sometimes I get these feelings, they're almost like memories but not." She said looking up at Tony. "Like when I hear James Taylor…" Tony cut her off.

"James Taylor?" He asked laughing.

"Yes, I don't know I get this sense of family…happy times…comfort." She shrugged. "How can I get a sense of family when I didn't have one?"

"You had family."

"What the nuns and priest and other orphans? Not really what I'd call family…I mean they were but they weren't…it's not the same feeling." She sighed and walked across the room. "It's like why I became a carpenter." She ran her fingers over a small wooden boat replica that sat on the shelf. "The smell of sawdust or when I'm sanding a piece of wood…I feel like there are these arms around me…saying I will never let you go…I will never let anything happen to you." She laughed and to Tony it sounded like an attempt to hide the frustration she felt inside. "I feel like there should be a memory there but there isn't."

"But you sort of remember things?" Tony asked confused. "Before you were left at St. Michaels?" 

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." She said and headed for the door.

"Wait Dani." Tony said catching up to her.

"Nope, we are done talking." She said and walked out the door.

"Ah ha!" Tony cried out triumphantly.

"What?" Dani asked, she stopped walking and turned to look at him.

"You always accuse me of changing the subject or not talking when I feel that the subject is getting too personal and look at you…you're doing the exact same thing." Even in the moon light Tony could see Dani blushing. Dani started walking again. "You can't run away from your past."

"I don't have a past."

"Everyone has a past." Tony said keeping up with her brisk pace. "I know what it's like to have a sucky childhood."

"Your parents didn't dump you at some orphanage." Dani replied not looking at him.

"You're right but it still sucked none the less."

"And at least you can remember things, like do you know who taught you to ride a bike?"

"Yeah our butler." Dani stopped and looked at Tony.

"You're kidding."

"Nope." Tony said shaking his head. "My parents didn't dump me at an orphanage but they sure as hell didn't raise me either." Tony shrugged.

"I'm sorry." Dani said as she put her hand on his arm.

"So you don't remember who taught you to ride a bike?" Tony asked.

"No but I know how, I know how to ride a horse, I know some sign language but what I don't know is who taught me these things because I didn't learn them at orphanage." They had begun walking again.

"Hey Abby can sign."

"Abby?"

"Our forensic scientist, you didn't get to meet her, she's…" Tony paused searching for the right word to describe Abby. "She's Abby." Tony shrugged. "You'll love her. Anyway her parents are deaf and they taught her how to sign." They had reached the edge of the lake. "Wouldn't that be weird if you two were long lost sisters?" Tony laughed.

"Yeah, that would be weird." Dani replied. "Take off your pants." She demanded.

"What?" Tony asked shocked and slightly turned on. "Did you just say…"

"Take off your pants DiNozzo." Dani said as she began to unbutton her shirt.

"Um…Dani I…"

"Oh chill Tony, we're going skinny dipping." Dani said with a big smile on her face. "Now turn around…you can't see me naked until our wedding day." Her last statement had thrown Tony for a loop, more than the demand for him to take off his pants.

"It's just that…um…" Tony was flustered. "Really? No nakedness until the wedding? It's the catholic thing right?" Dani was laughing as Tony turned around and started taking off his pants. "I mean you can bend those rules right? Take Kate for instance…you see Kate was catholic but she didn't wait till she was…" Tony had started to pull down his boxers when he glanced over his shoulder to see Dani staring at him. "Hey." He cried out as he pulled his boxers back up, Dani walked over to him, she was wearing only her shirt, which was unbuttoned half way.

"I see why Ziva calls you her little furry bear." Tony's face flushed red.

"I can't believe she told you that." Tony mumbled.

"I was just kidding about the naked thing." She said as she took off her shirt and went running into the water. Tony raised his eyebrows and smiled. The boss was going to kill him but it would be so worth it, he thought as he finished getting undressed and ran into the water.

Ziva walked into the bedroom to find Tony in his boxers with Dani asleep in his arms wearing only his shirt. It was a cute picture, both of them asleep with smiles on their faces but she had been kept awake by their romp around the woods last night so she was in no mood for cute this morning. She walked over to Tony, bent down and whispered into his ear. "Gibbs is here." Tony sat straight up in bed, eyes wide open looking around the room.

"Boss, it's not what it looks like." Ziva began to laugh so hard she sat on the edge of the bed to steady herself. Dani was looking around, sleep still clouded her mind. "That is so not funny." Tony said to Ziva as he lay back down.

"Damn, you scared the crap out of me." Dani said as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Gotta use the little girl's room." She winked at Tony then left.

"Not what it looks like?" Ziva asked when Dani was out of the room.

"It's not…" Tony scratched his head. "Ok so it is but it's kind of different."

"Gibbs is still going to kill you." Ziva replied and Tony shrugged.

"It will be worth it." Tony sat up again. "Can I confide something in you?" Ziva nodded. "And you won't tell anyone?" She nodded again. "I think I'm falling for her." Ziva laughed.

"Tony DiNozzo falling for a girl? Never!"

"I know I never thought it would happen but she's different." She's different alright, Ziva thought to herself, she's Gibbs daughter. The thought of Tony dating Gibbs daughter made Ziva start to laugh. "I'm being serious." The thought of Tony being Gibbs son in law made Ziva laugh even harder. "It's not that funny." Tony said, watching tears roll down her face from laughing so hard.

"Oh it's funny." Ziva stated and began laughing so hard she flopped back on the bed.

"Yeah and thanks for telling her about my hairy ass." Tony grumbled.

"A girl…has the right…to…know these…things." Ziva said between fits of laughter. Oh this would prove to be very interesting; she thought then began laughing hysterically again.


	11. Chapter 11

It had been two weeks since Gibbs had picked them up at the cabin. Tony explained to Dani that he had to lay low for a while, that Gibbs or anyone for that matter could not know what had happened up at the cabin. Dani seemed upset but when Tony told her that his job would be on the line for sleeping with someone in his protective custody she seemed more accepting of it. Of course Ziva knew and she had promised to keep her mouth shut, Tony prayed that she kept her promise.

Dani seemed to take to their little NCIS family in a heartbeat. She and Abby had bonded instantly as Tony knew they would. She was staying with Ziva and the three of them were having a blast. Dani always seemed to be around but Tony had very few opportunities to be alone with her. If Dani wasn't with Abby or Ziva she was with Gibbs, then when the three of them weren't around McGee was there, he was helping Dani look for her own apartment. She even seemed to be bonding with Ducky and Palmer. Last Sunday Dani had convinced everyone to play miniature golf. Tony couldn't believe it when everyone had shown up and he had to admit that he was surprised at what a good time they all had. They ended up doing the whole course twice they were having so much fun. Afterward Dani invited everyone back to Ziva's for Sunday dinner.

Tony thought for sure he could out last everyone and at the end of the night he would be able to have some alone time with Dani but yet again he was wrong. He had no idea Gibbs would stay so late telling story after ridiculous story. Tony smiled as he remembered telling Gibbs he was beginning to turn into Ducky. Which of course prompted Gibbs to smack Tony on the back of the head.

Now Tony sat at his desk, his eyes glued to Dani and Gibbs. What were they saying? Tony asked himself. He couldn't really hear the conversation, all he heard was Dani laughing and Gibbs telling her a story, with a smile on his face. What was with that smile? Gibbs never smiles like that, Tony thought as he glared at Gibbs.

"Tony?" Tony looked up to see McGee standing beside his desk. "What's with the death stare aimed at Gibbs?"

"What's with him McGee?" Tony asked turning his attention back to Gibbs and Dani.

"Well I…um…I guess I'm not really sure." McGee stammered. "What do you mean?"

"Gibbs, he's so…" He paused and shook his head. "Pleasant when she's around." Tony rolled his eyes. "It's…"

"Nice?" McGee said hesitantly.

"Disgusting, he's old enough to be her father."

"You don't think…" McGee shook his head. "You don't think he's interested in her…do you?"

"That's exactly what I think Probie. He's all smiles and hugs and laughter when she's around."

"Well they do have a lot in common…maybe Gibbs just enjoys her company." Tony scoffed at McGee's suggestion. Gibbs and Dani walked over to Tony's desk.

"McGee, DiNozzo…good work today." McGee looked at Tony who gave him a knowing nod. "I'm calling it a day." Gibbs said as he turned to leave.

"But uh…Boss…" McGee paused and Gibbs turned around.

"Spit it out McGee."

"Well it's just that…you uh…"

"Have you lost the ability to form a sentence McGee?" Gibbs asked while Tony stared angrily at Dani.

"No sir…I was just shocked that's all."

"About?"

"You, leaving before it's dark." Gibbs laughed.

"He's going to show me his boat." Dani said.

"Oh I bet he is." Tony said sarcastically. Dani looked at Tony, confusion evident on her face.

"He's uh…building it by hand." Dani replied.

"Oh yes…I've heard he's very good with his hands." Tony said as he continued to stare at Dani, one eyebrow raised.

"DiNozzo."

"Yeah boss." 

"Shut up." Gibbs said then turned around.

"On it boss." Tony replied, Dani started to walk away but didn't take her eyes off Tony. Tony pretended to look busy and Dani turned and headed for the elevator.

"Is he always like that?" Dani asked.

"Which one?" Gibbs replied.

"Tony." Dani said as she turned back to look at him. He had been watching them but he pretended to be writing something when she looked back at him. "He sounded so strange when I said I was going to your house." Gibbs shrugged.

"Nope, that's just DiNozzo."

"Oh." She said, not understanding the change in Tony's voice, he sounded like a totally different guy. She thought that he wanted her to play it cool in front of Gibbs so, was this him playing it cool? She asked herself. "McGee is such a cutie."

"Yeah adorable." Gibbs replied sarcastically.

"He _is_…and Abby is so into him." Gibbs looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Abby…into McGee?"

"Well yeah and McGee is totally in love with Abby." Gibbs thought for a moment. He always knew McGee had a thing for Abby but _in_ love with her?

"In love in love? Gibbs asked.

"Hello Gibbs…where have you been…it's totally obvious."

"Totally." He said shaking his head.

"I'd love to see them get together." Dani said in a hopeful voice.

"I have a rule about two agents…" Dani cut him off.

"Yes but Abby's a forensic scientist Gibbs." Dani smiled. "Not technically one of your agents." Gibbs glared at her as they stepped off the elevator.

"Don't make me regret inviting you to my house."

"Gibbs is showing her his boat." Tony said.

"So…"

"So McClueless…that's where he always takes his first date…he's got this thing about sawdust."

"Don't be ridiculous Tony."

"Abby." Tony said standing up.

"Uh…what about her?"

"Listen McGeek…if anyone in this building knows if Dani's got the hots for Gibbs its Abby." Tony said on his way to the elevator, McGee close behind.

"Well I don't know about that um…Abby would have…"

"Dani's been over to Abby's right?' McGee nodded. "And Abby and Dani do that thing where they whisper to each other and giggle right?"

"Yes but Abby hasn't said anything to me…" McGee said as they elevator doors opened.

"Probie she didn't tell you because it's a girl thing…" Tony said as they stepped onto the elevator. "Telling you would be breaking the sacred order of the girly sisterhood."

"Oh." McGee replied. "But don't you think…" Tony held his finger up to McGee's lips."

"Don't think Probie…this is not a subject the male mind can wrap around." The doors opened and they made their way to Abby's lab.

"Hey guys." Abby said bounding over to them, coat in hand. "Timmy." Abby said bumping him with her hip.

"Timmy?" Tony said under his breath, a smile spread across Tony's face.

"Hey Abs." McGee said, his cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

"What brings two of my favorite guys down to see me?" Abby asked as she put her coat on. "More importantly which one of you is taking me to dinner?"

"I'll take you Abs if you tell me who Dani has her eye on."

"Tony." Abby said raising an eyebrow. "What makes you think a bribe as simple as dinner would make me spill my guts?"

"Anything you want Abs, just tell me what I want to know."

"Anything?" A smile spread across her lips.

"Anything?" McGee asked looking back and forth between Tony and Abby.

"Yes, anything Abs…I'm your man."

"Hmmm." Abby replied walking over to Tony and linking arms with him. "This could prove to be a very interesting night." She said as they turned and started walking out of the lab.

"Uh guys…can I um…I want to…"

"No Probie, this is very sensitive material we're dealing with…" Tony said looking over his shoulder. "Private matter and all." He said with a wink.

"But uh…"

"Sorry McGee…I'll catch ya next time." Abby said and they walked out of the lab McGee stood in the lab, mouth slightly ajar.


	12. Chapter 12

"So why carpentry?" Gibbs asked as he watched Dani admire his handy work.

"Well…" she said running her hands over the wood. "It's kind of silly…I mean I've never been able to explain it really." She looked over at Gibbs and smiled. "She's a beauty."

"A work in progress really." Gibbs replied as he grabbed a glass off the workbench and a bottle from the shelf. "Would you like a drink?" He asked.

"Please."

"Hope this will do." Gibbs said suddenly aware of how little he knew about his daughter, he stopped pouring. "I don't even know if you drink." Dani smiled.

"Yes on occasion." Gibbs continued to pour.

"So about why you picked carpentry.' He said and started walking over to her, she sighed.

"I can't explain it. When ever I'm around someone doing carpentry work or when I would go into a workshop…I just got the feeling."

"Feeling?" Gibbs asked he stopped in his tracks.

"Yeah…I don't know…the smells…the sounds…the way the feels under your hands when you sand." She shook her head, her cheeks flushing. "I must sound like an idiot."

"No." Gibbs replied shaking his head. His heart pounded in his chest, could she possibly remember the endless hours they would spend in his workshop, talking, laughing, and working on projects together.

"Especially the smell…it always made me feel…safe." She shook her head and made a face as if what she said had been completely ridiculous. She walked over to Gibbs grabbed the glass and took a drink. "Almost felt like being a little kid and um being hugged, smelling the sawdust and knowing nothing could harm me." She took another drink and looked up at Gibbs with tears in her eyes. "It's so stupid because I didn't even know my dad…I can't remember him." Frustrated tears spilled down her cheeks. Gibbs wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

"Shhh." He said laying his cheek on top of her head. "It will be ok." Dani had her face buried in Gibbs shirt and when she took a breath she inhaled his scent…a tidal wave of memories came flooding back to her. She was working on a boat, his arms around her as he helped her sand. She pulled back, wiping at her tears.

"How could you just leave me?" 

"No…"

"You left me to be raised by strangers." Gibbs felt hot tears burning in his eyes…he refused to let them fall.

"Let me explain." Dani turned and began to walk away. Gibbs reached out grabbing her arm, she shrugged off his hand.

"Don't." She said not turning around; she made her way up his stairs.

"Dani just stop and listen to me."

"Why should I?" She asked as she continued to walk away from making her way out of his house and onto his front porch. "You think you can dump me for fifteen years and then all of the sudden decide that you want me…"

"Damn it Kelly." Dani stopped and turned around.

"I am not Kelly." She yelled.

"You've always been Kelly to me." Gibbs sighed. "But I'll call you Dani…I will do anything you want…just listen to me…please?"

"Why should I believe what you say?"

"Why would I lie to you?" 

"Oh I don't know maybe fifteen years of guilt for abandoning your daughter are catching up to you."

"No." Gibbs replied. "I will not lie to you." Tears glistened in his eyes as Dani looked into them.

"What I remember of you…what I feel is that you loved me." Gibbs nodded.

"I did…you and your mother meant the world to me."

"What changed?"

"Nothing…" Dani nodded.

"OK lets hear your story." She said sitting down on his front porch steps and he sat down beside her.

"So you're telling me my mom was a spy?" Gibbs nodded. "And…while you were in the Gulf they told you that we were in an accident." Gibbs nodded again. "But we were still alive and they dumped me at St. Michaels and told my mother I was dead." Gibbs nodded. "And they kidnapped me to get her back?"

"Yes."

"So the woman…that you brought…that was…" 

"Your mom."

"I don't know what to say."

"I can show you the NIS file that documents the accident and the deaths…I can show you the file we got from the CIA about your mom…there is proof of what I'm telling you."

"No…" she shook her head. "For some reason I believe you." Dani laughed but it was a strained laugh not a happy laugh. "Unless you are the worlds best liar I don't believe you could have made all that up." She scooted closer to Gibbs. "I always wondered why. What was so wrong with me that…" tears started to fall and she couldn't finish the sentence. Gibbs pulled her closer to him and put his arm around her, she leaned into him and cried.

"It's going to be ok." He kissed the top of her head. "We are going to be ok."


	13. Chapter 13

Tony had knocked on Ziva's door, no one answered. He called the apartment, no one answered. He called Ziva's cell phone; it went to her voice mail. He paced back and forth in the hallway in front of Ziva's door. Abby had tortured him and then gave him some run around answers that weren't really answers at all. He had done everything that woman had asked him to do and she didn't give him a straight answer. "This…sucks." Tony said, put his back to the door and slid to the floor. Never in his life had a woman affected him like Dani. "There was Kate." Tony said out loud, to himself. "Oh Kate." He smiled. "I wonder what you would think of Dani." Tony said, continuing to talk to himself. "She seems like such a sweet girl Kate, you'd probably tell her to run the other way." Tony laughed. "But it's not like that this time, I see more than just a hot body and I want more than great sex, it's just…" Tony looked up to see some lady standing a few feet away from him, looking around to see who he was talking to. "Just sort of talking to…"

"It's ok, I don't need to know." She said walking away. He realized he must look and sound like a complete lunatic.

"But I'm sure you would have enjoyed torturing me as much as Abby." He leaned his head against the door and closed his eyes. He didn't want to see the stares of strangers and it was easier to talk to Kate if he could picture her. "You two would have probably come up with something much more humiliating than what Abs did to me tonight. See I've changed Kate, I'm picturing you and you're not even naked or…"

"DiNozzo?" Tony scrambled to his feet at the sound of Gibbs voice.

"Boss." Tony looked from Gibbs to Dani and back to Gibbs. "I was just um…"

"Are you wearing eyeliner?" Dani asked then put her hand over her own mouth to try and keep in the giggles.

"Oh." Tony said looking back to Dani. "Yeah I was with Abby."

"You were picturing Kate naked?" Gibbs asked.

"No." Tony replied shaking his head. "I was just telling her that I wasn't picturing her naked." A look of confusion and amusement washed over Gibbs face. "I…well I sort of…I mean before…well maybe once after…it was more like…"

"Black nail polish?" Dani asked biting her lower lip.

"Yeah and black clothes a dog collar with these spiky things." Tony pulled at the dog collar. "I don't know how she wears these all the time, they are not comfortable."

"It's better on Abby." Gibbs said gruffly.

"I know but she thought it would be fun to torture me tonight and well boss I'm not even going to tell you what she made me do after she dressed me up like this."

"It's kind of hot." Dani said wiggled her eyebrows at Tony. Tony and Gibbs both looked Dani with shock evident on their faces.

"Have you been crying?" Tony asked and Dani's cheeks flushed red as she shrugged. "Did you make her cry?" Tony asked Gibbs.

"It's been a long night Tony let's just go inside." Dani said as she got her key out to unlock the door.

"You're not going in there with him alone." Gibbs said.

"Hold it." Tony said holding up his hands. "We've got to deal with this situation right here and now."

"Now?" Dani asked.

"What situation?" Gibbs asked.

"Let's talk and we'll deal with it later." Dani said to Tony.

"Talk about what?" Gibbs asked.

"No…you have to make a decision." Tony said to Dani.

"Decision?" Gibbs and Dani asked at the same time.

"Yeah." Tony replied. "Is it going to be me or Gibbs?"

"What?" Dani asked shocked.

"DiNozzo…"

"I'm sorry boss but I really really…"

"Tony…" Dani said quietly. Tony looked at her and she mouthed the words shut up to him.

"You really what?" Gibbs asked.

"I really…" Tony thought for a moment. "I like Dani a lot." Dani put her hand to her head and moaned. "I think I'm falling for her." Tony didn't like the look Gibbs was giving him, he turned to Dani. "It killed me tonight to see you go on a date with him."

"Date?" They both said at the same time.

"Is this your idea of playing it cool?" Dani asked laughing at Tony, she sighed. "Um can we go inside and talk about this?" Both Tony and Gibbs nodded.

"Boss can you stop looking at me like that?"

"No because if you're talking about what I think you're talking about I'm going to kill you."

"No one is killing anyone tonight." Dani said as she walked over to the couch. "Sit, both of you." Tony and Gibbs both sat down. "Ok, this is how it is." Dani said looking at Tony. "I'm not choosing between you and Gibbs."

"But…"

"Just listen." Dani said. "He's my father." Dani said pointing to Gibbs. Tony started to laugh and then looked at Gibbs who was not laughing, which made Tony nervous.

"But boss…how can…" 

"It's a long story DiNozzo."

"No." Tony said. "If you're his daughter that means…" Tony turned white as he realized he slept with Gibbs daughter.

"Means what?" Gibbs asked.

"It means that he's falling in love with his boss's daughter." Dani said.

"Falling in love?" Tony and Gibbs asked together.

"As for you." Dani said to Gibbs. "You will not make Tony's life miserable because he is dating me."

"You don't want to date him." Gibbs replied.

"Ziva told me that you told Tony I was off limits, as sweet as it is that you're trying to look out for me…I'm a big girl I can make my own decisions."

"He goes through women faster than Abby goes through Caf-Pows."

"Says the man who's been divorced three times." Tony replied.

"DiNozzo you're…"

"Enough." Dani said.

"He doesn't…" Gibbs started to say and then stopped when Dani threw an evil look his way. "I don't want you to get hurt." He finished.

"I'm not just after sex Gibbs." Tony replied. "I want more." Dani sat down between the two of them. Dani took Gibbs hand in hers.

"I think it is so sweet that you want to look out for me and protect me but you have to know I'm going to make my own decisions especially when it comes to guys."

"I've known Tony a long time…"

"It's different this time." Tony said cutting him off. "I want it to be different…"

"And you." Dani said taking Tony's hand in hers. "You better be serious about us because I think my dad will castrate you if you hurt me."

"I'll do more than castrate him." Gibbs said he felt Dani squeeze his hand.

"I don't want to hurt her." Tony said looking at Gibbs. "If I hurt you then I deserve to be castrated." Tony said looking at Dani.

"Oh my boys." Dani said with a weary smile. "You are going to keep my hands full aren't you?" She asked shaking her head. Ziva walked into her apartment to find Gibbs and Tony on her couch, Dani in the middle holding their hands.

"This is too weepy." Ziva stated.

"Weepy?" Gibbs asked.

"You mean creepy?" Dani asked.

"Yes." Ziva said walking over to them, Tony stood up.

"I've got some big news." Tony said Ziva looked at Gibbs and Dani.

"I already know."

"No way…is this going to blow your mind."

"Gibbs is Dani's father."

"This is…" Tony stopped, his mouth dropped open. "Wait."

"You knew?" Dani asked.

"I couldn't say anything." Ziva said apologetically.

"How could you not tell me?" Tony asked sounding hurt.

"Like you can keep a secret." Ziva laughed.

"I can keep a secret." Tony said sitting back down on the couch, pouting.

"Oh look at you…you are so cute." Dani said scooting closer to Tony.

"I can't watch this." Gibbs said and he stood up and walked over to the door.

"Wait." Dani said and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around him. Tony was amazed as he watched a look of pure happiness spread across Gibbs face.

"I'll call you tomorrow." Gibbs said he turned to Tony. "I'm warning you DiNozzo."

"I know boss." Tony said nodding. "I know." Gibbs shook his head and then left the apartment.


End file.
